PARROTT BATTERY, April 4, 1865-6 p.m.

Captain S. M. EATON,

Chief Signal Officer, Military Division of West Mississippi:

CAPTAIN: The double-ender is lying about one mile and a quarter up the channel from Battery Tracy, firing occasionally at this battery, making good shots, but doing no damage do far. Battery Huger is also firing the rifle gun and two mortars. Our Parrott battery opened the music and is keeping it up quite lively. High-pressure transports are semi-hourly passing from Mobile toward Blakely, but don't seem to have any troops aboard.

I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. A. HARRIS,

Lieutenant and Acting Signal Officer.

GENERAL HEADQUARTERS ARMY AND DIVISION FIELD ORDERS, OF WEST MISSISSIPPI, No. 15. April 4, 1865.

Seventy wagons from the Thirteenth Corps, sixty from the Sixteenth Corps, and forty from the command of Major-General Steele, will be sent to the depot quartermaster at Starke's Landing for general service purposes. Corps and other separate commanders will cause the current supplies for their commands to be brought in the remaining wagons, using, if necessary, the regimental baggage wagons. To prevent blocking the roads, empty trains will be sent to the depot by the upper (eastern) road and return by the lower bridge.

By order of Major General E. R. S. Canby:

C. T. CHRISTENSEN,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Adjutant-General.

SPECIAL HEADQUARTERS ARMY AND DIVISIONFIELD ORDERS, OF WEST MISSISSIPPI, No. 24.
Near Spanish Fort, Ala., April 4, 1865.

1. The Thirty-first Massachusetts (mounted) Infantry, Lieutenant-Colonel Nettleton commanding, is hereby detailed for duty at these headquarters, and will report accordingly without delay.

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3. All field and siege guns, howitzers, and mortars in position before Spanish Fort Alexis will open on the enemy's lines precisely at 5 o'clock this afternoon and continue until dark (7 o'clock) without intervals. As the direct fire against the works is the least effective, the officers commanding batteries will direct shells to be thrown so as to enfilade or explode within the works. Chiefs of artillery of corps and divisions will be careful to cover the whole interior space of the forts with their fire, and direct battery commanders accordingly. This bombardment will be kept up at the rate of twenty rounds per gun each hour. After 7 o'clock the fire will cease from all batteries except the 8-inch siege howitzers and mortars, which will continue to throw shells during the entire night at the rate of one shell in every three minutes for all the pieces. During the bombardment the trenches of